


Someone Like You

by cigfran



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Commission fic, First Kiss, Fluff, Other, Zavala is a Gay Baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 13:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13295784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cigfran/pseuds/cigfran
Summary: Zavala looks up at the Traveler, alive and twirling quietly above his head. It looks back passively, soundless as ever, and Zavala sighs, rubbing a hand over the top of his head.Degari should be back from their Nightfall run, soon. Zavala had watched them zip off in their spaceship earlier in the day, boisterous and not noticing his intent eyes, and now the night sky was out and stars lit up the backdrop behind the debris of the Traveler.He feels slightly ridiculous, getting so worked up over something, but… it’s not as if he has tons of experience with… he grimaces slightly even as he thinks it… romance.--Zavala's always been more of an action man.





	Someone Like You

It’s a quiet night when Zavala realizes he has to say something to them.

He’s not used to being nervous or uncertain. It’s been a long time since he felt anything of the sort. He feels like he woke up and he was sure of everything. Sure, there have been times when he had to take longer to think about how to do something, or what course of action to take, but once he did it, he _did_ it. No beating around the bush.

This, however, isn’t some kind of battle plan. It’s something that, arguably, is trickier, and fraught with the same amount of danger. Zavala isn’t in danger of dying, he has to remind himself, but sometimes he glances over at the other titan and he thinks maybe if they told him _no_ that it would be just as bad as dying. Maybe worse, considering he can bounce back from death easily once again now that the Light is back.

Zavala looks up at the Traveler, alive and twirling quietly above his head. It looks back passively, soundless as ever, and Zavala sighs, rubbing a hand over the top of his head.

Degari should be back from their Nightfall run, soon. Zavala had watched them zip off in their spaceship earlier in the day, boisterous and not noticing his intent eyes, and now the night sky was out and stars lit up the backdrop behind the debris of the Traveler.

He feels slightly ridiculous, getting so worked up over something, but… it’s not as if he has tons of experience with… he grimaces slightly even as he thinks it… _romance._

He’d never had reason to before, more dedicated to his work and keeping his guardians safe than ever getting involved with someone. But he can’t deny the attraction anymore; he pauses what he’s doing when Degari moves into his viewpoint, even if infinitesimally, and he never does that. Ikora has noticed, casting him knowing glances from the corner of her eyes as he snaps back to his business.

It’s irritating, but more irritating than that is that Zavala knows he’s been avoiding addressing it on purpose. He’s not used to being a coward.

So. Something must be done. And he’s decided it will be tonight, when Degari is in a good mood after a successful strike. Because of course it will be successful. Zavala is consistently impressed with his titan’s performance; they never disappoint him, even on the missions that don’t end perfectly. He would call it foolishness if he were younger, sterner.

People always think he’s more coldhearted than he actually is. Maybe it’s the eyes. He isn’t sure.

Either way, when he sees Degari’s ship slowly pulling back into the hangar, he takes a calming breath long before they ever make themselves known. It’s instinct to check himself over, though he’s almost certain there’s no reason to. It’s not like he can smooth down his armor, in any case, even as he rubs a hand over it in a self-conscious attempt to look more cleaned up.

He’s had a relatively calm day, at least. And if he’d subconsciously decided to clean and polish his attire earlier today, who could call him out for it? Barring Ikora, that was, and her clever eyes.

Ikora was (probably) too polite to bring it up. He hopes.

He spots Degari coming from the hangar a moment later, and, despite himself, turns around to appear casual. The image of the titan flickers warmly in his head though, like the warmth that came from sunlight; the powerful body, the dark eyes framed by pale hair. He sighs softly again, trying to remain unperturbed. It wouldn’t just be Degari coming to see him, after all; their strike team would probably be tagging along, as well. It wouldn’t do to look unbecoming in front of them all because of his… _crush._ His nose wrinkles.

If Cayde could see him now. He can imagine the smug look on his robotic face, the unnaturally organic gleam in his lit-up eyes. The mocking. Traveler, the _mocking._ Zavala closes his eyes and exhales.

Even if by some miracle this does work out, Cayde should be kept out of the loop for as long as possible.

But he’s getting ahead of himself.

Zavala stiffens just a touch when he hears footsteps approaching behind him, and takes care to shake it out of him as he turns, putting an enigmatic smile on his face as he’s greeted with Degari and their companions.

A hunter and a warlock, respectively, with Degari in the middle. Zavala tries to use this as reasoning that he can’t summon their names, and tries not to feel too bad about it.

“Another successful strike?” he asks, meeting eyes with the titan despite himself and keeping his composure in a way he thinks many people wouldn’t.

“Yep!” Degari responds, and pushes some of their curly hair away from their face. The hunter and warlock are predictably silent, watching the exchange with some kind of amusement in their expressions. Zavala wonders, briefly, if he is giving something away, in his stature or in his speech, but refocuses when Degari speaks up again.

There’s an absent note of fondness that flickers through him as he notices just how far down he has to tilt his head.

“The Vex didn’t know what hit ‘em,” Degari says, peering up at him and grinning with the kind of self-confidence that Zavala has grown used to in his titans. It makes the note of fondness turn into a kind of steady beat, like a bassline, a backdrop. Zavala tamps it down as best he can, smirking back at them as they continue, “barely broke a sweat.”

“Excellent,” he returns, perhaps letting a touch too much appreciation in his voice, but unable to help it. “I always know I can count on you, titan. Degari.”

The human immediately blinks and seems to be trying to fight against bashfulness. The warlock and hunter alongside them both smirk in unison, and after quickly nodding their thanks and acknowledgement, head away, calling back that they’ll meet up with Degari later. Zavala doesn’t have it in him to pretend that he doesn’t hear the suggestiveness in their tones, and he cocks an eyebrow as he watches the other members of the fireteam snicker amongst themselves, glance back once, and then twice, before disappearing.

His gaze returns to Degari, who is schooling their face back into friendliness.

“So, no problems then?” he says, knowing he is stalling. Degari hung back because they were the fireteam leader… at least on paper. In reality, it’s become an reoccurring thing for the other titan to sometimes stand with him and look up at the Traveler. Usually, there’s not that much talking, but in the small conversations they’ve had here and in other places, Zavala has been… finding himself intrigued. To put it in mildly.

Degari’s voice is always quiet when they speak, as if they don’t want to be overheard, or… as if they consider the conversations intimate and private. Zavala isn’t a very loud person anyway, but he tends to find himself moving closer, leaning in slightly, pitching his voice lower, as well, despite himself. They tell him about the art piece they’re working on in their spare time between missions, or a book they just finished. Just snippets of things, really, but eventually those snippets added up and up. Zavala wanted to ask them to see the art, after awhile. He sometimes went and picked up the books that were mentioned, so he could talk to them about the plot the next time they stopped by.

He can’t help it. He’s twitterpated.

Degari smiles at him now, their dark eyes glowing with the reflection of the Traveler from the sky. “Never,” they respond, and quietly move forward so they can stand beside Zavala instead of in front of him, looking up into the sky.

Zavala takes the opportunity to let his face cool off as he turns and follows their eyes to the Traveler.

“Good,” he murmurs, and places his hands on the balcony, letting them wrap around the steel pole so he has something to do with his hands.

After a moment, Degari glances up at him. When Zavala looks at them from the corner of his eyes, the titan is shifting on their feet, biting their lip, like maybe they can sense the tension in the air.

“How have you been?” comes their voice after a moment, soft. Zavala cannot stop himself from looking over fully now. Their brown skin is glowing silvery in the moonlight, the sweat of exertion from the strike still visible on their brow. Zavala can hear the sound of ships returning to the City, the soft sounds of birds and insects chirping in the forest below. It’s as if the world slows down.

They meet eyes. 

Before he can stop himself, it slips out, like a secret.

“I have been thinking of you.”

At once, he wishes he’d phrased it better, been more clear. Or maybe more vague. Anything easier to conceal, or… 

His mind freezes as Degari blinks, taking the words in. Then, after a breath, “you mean… professionally?”

Zavala can’t help the soft huff of laughter that escapes him. “Ah… not exactly. I… what I mean to say, is…”

Emboldened by the lack of immediate denial, Zavala steps closer. His pulse in his throat hammers as Degari doesn’t step away, even tilts their head up to maintain the eye contact. Electricity runs through his fingers like the Light, but when he gently cups one side of Degari’s face, there’s nothing there but his glove, fabric meeting skin, warmth on warmth. Degari’s breath visibly catches, and Zavala feels a spark of something low in his stomach.

“... _not_ professionally,” he finishes, letting his eyes go half-lidded.

“... I see,” Degari stammers, and Zavala’s fondness increases twofold. He feels the smile curling his mouth and doesn’t try to stop it, earnest and hopeful and giddy in a way he hasn’t felt in as long as he can remember.

“Do you… that is…”

Degari’s shyness seems to double. “I… I mean… I… of course, I… I just never thought that… you…”

“... It’s not like me, that’s true,” Zavala concedes, and he briefly forgets where he is, leaning closer. Degari, once again, doesn’t stop him, and flicks their eyes up from where they’re been bashfully staring at Zavala’s armor to look at him. “But… maybe it could be.”

Degari doesn’t respond, their dark eyes suddenly very bright, and they reach up a hand to gently grab onto Zavala’s cuirass. They tug, once, just a little.

It’s all the motivation Zavala needs to lean closer.

The kiss is something that could almost be called a _peck_ if it weren’t for the soft response, how Degari tilts their head up and lets their lips brush for more than a moment.

Zavala hasn’t kissed anyone in… well. A very long time, by his count. The warmth of Degari’s face surprises him; so does the soft exhale they make, like it could be a noise if Zavala nudged a little. He swallows, and perhaps makes to do so, letting his eyes fall closed so he can concentrate— 

“Ayyyy, Big Blue!”

Zavala snaps straight up, dropping his hands and trying not to leap right off the balcony at the sound of the all-too-familiar reverberating voice cheerfully calling him across the courtyard.

Reality snaps back in an instant, and he quickly looks over to Degari, who looks dazed, but pleasantly so. As they fade back in, amusement quickly paints their features, and they begin full on grinning as Zavala struggles to compose himself in the face of his coworker.

Cayde-6’s ocular lights seem alarmingly bright. Too bright, even. He strides over with all the smug amusement of a big cat. “Heyyyy, buddy. Ikora wants to meet up and chit-chat, but if you’re busy…?”

“No,” Zavala replies, clearing his throat and flicking an apologetic glance at Degari that seems unnecessary in the face of their smile. “I can come. Let me… um…” He turns to Degari, smiles as much as he can. “We can, ah… finish this discussion… later.”

Degari’s eyes sparkle. “Okay.”

Cayde-6’s voice comes back. “Okay~!” The sing-song lilt is enough to have Zavala turning sharply and making way for the meeting room at once, shoulders high against his burning ears and the knowledge that the Exo is _never_ going to let him live this down strong in his mind.

But, glancing back one more time as Degari stares after him with the stars in their eyes… he can’t regret it.

Not for a moment.


End file.
